This sugar is derived from the coconut palm tree and touted … Date Sugar. Erythritol is a natural zero-calorie sweetener that’s often combined with other sugar substitutes. Maple sugar works as a 1:1 substitute for coconut sugar. Do use coconut sugar as a 1:1 substitute for white or brown sugar. Date sugar is not really a sugar at all, though it is used as a sweetener. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol, found naturally in watermelon, grapes, pears, mushrooms, and many fermented foods. To use it, grate it into your recipe or melt it with a liquid. This works perfectly if you are using coconut sugar as a table sweetener such as for oatmeal or a beverage. The closest equivalent to coconut palm sugar is "plain" palm sugar. Substitutes for Coconut Palm Sugar Non-Coconut Palm Sugar. Truvia, a common zero-calorie sweetener, is made up primarily of erythritol. The maple flavor should work well in most recipes that require coconut sugar. Measure the brown sugar, pack it down, allow it to dry and harden and it's almost indistinguishable from a block of palm sugar. A sweetener that has become very popular in the past few years is coconut sugar. Instead of refining the abundant... Piloncillo, or Panela. Or you could check an Indonesian or Thai grocery for coconut sugar (the sap from the coconut palm, not because it tastes like coconut).